194 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 102 



New Spain, and they are very good ; but since other historians deal 

 largely with that country and its features, I shall omit further descrip- 

 tion. He explored the Provinces of Cibola and many others, suffering 

 many hardships during the extended period of his explorations in 

 those regions ; and he sent out officers in different directions on 

 exploring parties — in especial, from the information he had received 

 about Florida from Alvaro Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and the Negro 

 Estebanico, he dispatched officers for its subjugation. 



547. But since they were suffering great hardships and the country 

 was so cold and poor, and he saw his men were worn out and dis- 

 heartened, for fear they might mutiny, he wisely turned back for 

 New Spain, having traveled in this expedition over i,ooo leagues 

 suffering great hardships and much hunger. So he returned to 

 Mexico City, and in view of the great services he had rendered His 

 Majesty, the Viceroy came out to meet him with the Circuit Court 

 Justices and the city at large, and paid him the high honors due his 

 merits. 



Chapter VI 



Continuing the Exploits of Gov. Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, 

 and the Description of the Remainder of New Vizcaya and the 

 Exploration of New Mexico. 



548. Gov. Francisco Vazquez de Coronado governed New Galicia 

 and New Vizcaya ii years for His Majesty, during which time he 

 subdued and brought under orderly administration, all those provinces. 

 He made a loan to Queen Joan, mother of the Emperor, of his whole 

 salary for his term of office ; and this circumstance, together with 

 the heavy expenses he incurred in the exploration of New Mexico, 

 was responsible for his dying a very poor man in the year 1551 in 

 Mexico City. He left two legitimate daughters by his wife, Dona 

 Beatriz de Estrada. These were Dona Isabel de Lujan and Dona 

 Marina Vazquez de Coronado, and they were left in poverty, having 

 been deprived of the income of their allotments, although His Majesty, 

 when he sent him off on his explorations, had promised they would 

 not be withdrawn ; but the latest enactments with regard to the case, 

 did not return them to them. 



549. In consequence of the expedition of this noble gentleman to 

 New Mexico, God has now been recompensed by the fact that there 

 are many new Christians there ; a city with as many as 70 Spanish 

 residents has been established there, with a Governor appointed by 

 the Viceroy with the title of Lordship and Captain General and a 

 salary of 2,000 pesos. In these Provinces of New Mexico there are 



